Protecting God's Children
Background on Child Safety Policies
On December 29, 2003, Bishop John B. McCormack released the policy entitled Promise to Protect, Pledge to Heal: The Protection of Children and Young People (Policy) and a Code of Conduct entitled Serving Christ, Serving Others: A Code of Ministerial Conduct (Code). Both documents became effective on March 19, 2004, the Feast of St. Joseph, patron saint of the Diocese of Manchester. After broad consultation, the Code and the Policy were updated, and the updated Policy and Code were made effective on March 19, 2007.
The Policy Highlights:
- the establishment of a lay diocesan Safe Environment Council
- background screening protocols, including criminal records and sex offender registry checks for all church personnel who regularly work with minors
- training on child sexual abuse awareness, prevention, and reporting
The Code
The Code focuses on general ethical principles that ensure integrity in ministry and the process for handling violations of these principles.
Keeping Children Safe
As part of our commitment to providing a safe environment for all children, the Diocese requires special training for those working with youth. All clerics and members of the religious institutes assigned to parish, school, or institutional ministry, and all employees and volunteers who regularly work with minors, must participate in the Protecting God's Children workshop.
Protecting God's Children Training Program
The free workshop addresses:
- appropriate boundaries in ministry
- signs and symptoms of sexual abuse in minors
- policies and prevention of sexual abuse by church personnel
- policies and procedures for reporting allegations of sexual abuse
- how to respond appropriately to disclosures of abuse
Protecting God's Children Training Schedule
The schedule for Protecting God’s Children workshops, which are offered at various locations throughout the diocese, can be found on the Diocesan Calendar of Events. On the calendar, click on "View by Event Type" and select "Protecting God's Children" from the drop down menu. Please pre-register by contacting the training coordinator listed on the schedule.